RELATING TO PARENTAL RIGHTS.

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on enforcement mechanisms or future rule impacts, leaving these points as uncertainties.

Parental Rights Protection Act

This bill stops the state and counties from making rules that limit parents' rights to raise, educate, care for, and support their children unless there is a very important reason.

What This Bill Does

• Adds new laws to protect parents' rights over how they raise their kids.
• Forbids government departments or county agencies from creating rules that stop parents from making decisions about their child's upbringing, education, care, and welfare.
• Requires the state and counties to show a very important reason before making any rule that limits these parental rights.

Who It Names or Affects

• Parents in Hawaii
• State government departments and agencies
• County governments

Terms To Know

Parental Rights

The legal rights of parents to make decisions about their children's upbringing, education, care, and welfare.

Narrowly Tailored Circumstances

Specific situations where the government can limit parental rights only if it is necessary for a very important reason.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not change existing legal duties or penalties that happened before its approval.
• It's unclear how this law will be enforced and what specific rules might be affected in the future.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO PARENTAL RIGHTS.
Parental Rights; Infringement; Prohibited
Prohibits the State and counties from adopting or ordaining any rules, regulations, or ordinances that infringe upon a parent's right to direct the upbringing, education, care, and welfare of the parent's child, except in certain narrowly tailored circumstances.

Current Bill Text

HB1397

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1397

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to parental rights
.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

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SECTION 1.
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Chapter 7, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as
follows:

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Parental rights.
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(a)
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Each parent in the State shall
have the right to direct the upbringing, education, care, and welfare of the
parent's child.

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(b)
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No
department or agency of the State or any county shall adopt or ordain any rule,
regulation, or ordinance that infringes upon the rights established in
subsection (a) without demonstrating that the rule, regulation, or ordinance is
narrowly tailored to address a compelling governmental interest using the least
restrictive means necessary.
"

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SECTION
2.
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This Act does not affect rights and
duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were
begun before its effective date.

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SECTION
3.
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New statutory material is
underscored.

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SECTION
4.
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This Act shall take effect upon its
approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Parental
Rights; Infringement; Prohibited

Description:

Prohibits
the State and counties from adopting or ordaining any rules, regulations, or ordinances
that infringe upon a parent's right to direct the upbringing, education, care,
and welfare of the parent's child, except in certain narrowly tailored circumstances.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.